(“Caro Sugo” loosely translates to “dear or favorite sauce”)
Trader Joe’s New Item, their CARO SUGO Italian tomato basic pasta sauce seems to be all over the internet with people saying this new Trader Joe’s tomato sauce is Da Bomb. The best pasta sauce ever. That it is better than the highly rated Rao’s (and cheaper).
So I had to check this out for a review. Well, guess what? Sometimes the hype is true. I was really impressed with this. This sauce is SO GOOD.
Its a wonderful tasty sauce. The freshest, most natural tasting, perfect, artisanal tomato sauce, like a sauce that could have been cooked by your Italian nonna back in Italy. I found this as good as everybody seems to be saying it is. A 10 out of 10.
Caro Sugo just has such a fresh, natural taste from excellent probably freshly harvested tomatoes plus Italian olive oil and fresh (not dried) garlic, and whole basil leaves. It’s got bits of tomato, a few little chunks. It’s not smooth like many jarred sauces are. Meaning not over processed.
Imported of course, this sauce is produced in Italy for Trader Joe’s. Specifically from the region of Puglia, which is the “heel of the boot” on a map. The supplier who makes this also grows the tomatoes, picks them and processes them. Close to where they are grown, so the tomatoes are as fresh as possible and you can actually taste that freshness.
TJ’s : “….Our supplier not only makes this sauce, but also grows the sweet, juicy tomatoes that make it so special. The rest of the ingredients are simple and fresh, including olive oil, diced onion & chopped garlic (not powders), chopped fresh basil, and sea salt. The only “dried” ingredient is oregano, which was chosen purposefully for its more concentrated flavor.
What will you do with Trader Joe’s Caro Sugo Italian Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce? The answer is: anything you like! As you can imagine, it’s delicious with your favorite TJ’s pasta or ravioli. Try it with our Homestyle Angus Beef Meatballs on a Sandwich Roll topped with melted Sliced Provolone. You’ll also find this Tomato Sauce shines on pizzas, in shakshuka, or even as a dipping sauce for our Breaded Mozzarella Cheese Sticks!”
As they say do not limit yourself to just thinking of this pasta sauce. This sauce is a great sauce for cooking. PIZZA? Yes, I am thinking. I definitely want to try making a pizza using this Caro Sugo sauce and the Mozzarella log for one thing. My dough is developing now in the fridge. I will report back here with pix!
This is a Must Try. Granted this costs more than some other quite good pasta Trader Joe’s sauces which cost less than half the price ($1.99) However if you want to taste an artisanal imported Italian sauce which is truly Gourmet Level, this is well worth trying at least once. People who have are saying they go back and buy a few jars at a time.
CARO SUGO Italian tomato basic pasta sauce $4.99 (24 oz)
PIzza made with this Caro Sugo sauce (my wife said I should have used more sauce). I made dough but you can buy TJ’s dough. Whole milk mozz. Fresh basil. It was yummy.
“…while it is indeed incredibly delicious on some crispy-fried chicken, that’s just the beginning, as far as we’re concerned. We recommend trying it on everything from roasted veggies to grilled short ribs, air-fried salmon, shrimp tacos, and omelettes. Frankly, we’ll even use it as a dip for French fries… or as sauce on a homemade Pizza topped with Pepper Jack Cheese, Spicy Chicken Nuggets, and cilantro or green onions (trust us on this one—it’s delicious.)”
This new sauce is getting a lot of notice all over the internet. I was familiar with this Korean sauce as a family member made a homemade one, so got the new Trader Joe’s one to try out and review.
I like it. It has sugar, soy sauce, red miso, molasses, ginger, rice vinegar, red pepper and sesame oil. Very tasty. While not quite as good as homemade versions of the sauce that I’ve tasted, this commercial version is still quite tasty.
It’s a dark sauce which is a bit thick and it’s just loaded with umami. It had a slight spicy back note but it’s not crazy spicy. This will be great on lots of things. Certainly most any Asian dish, especially noodles. Especially SQUIGGLY NOODLES plus all the things they list: chicken, salmon, and other fish, shrimp, omelettes. I want to try the pizza idea they mention with chicken and pepper jack cheese….!
If you are a fan of ORANGE MARMALADE you will be glad to hear Trader Joe’s came out with this.
If you don’t know, you should know that Trader Joe’s used to have a really really excellent marmalade – WHICH THEY DISCO’D.
Their SEVILLE ORANGE MARMALADE was terrific. Outstanding. A proper marmalade made with Seville Oranges. It was one of the best marmalade’s. I loved it.
Unfortunately Trader Joe’s famously discontinued it (back in 2019). Thousands of us fans who loved it were devastated. In fact, my old review of that marmalade – plus the fact that they had discontinued an outstanding product – happens to be one of the most Commented posts on this entire site. One of the biggest RANTS here. People were shocked, aghast, angry and dismayed that an excellent product got the ax, and wrote in the Comments here to voice that anger. Over 80 people took the time and effort to Comment and complain.
Well guess what? About 5 years after they discontinued that Trader Joe’s came with : Seville Orange Marmalade Fruit Spread (thats what it says”)
Frankly I was pretty surprised to see it . I had to try it and review it. While not exactly the same, it is orange marmalade and I do find it very tasty. But there is that “but”. It is a fruit spread”, meaning not as thick as just “marmalade”
The new marmalade fruit spread is a made in Belgium. That older (“real”) marmalade was from Canada.
So how is it? To be honest it is tasty. But my reaction is a bit of a mixed bag.
THE GOOD: It is made from Seville oranges. I think it is actually quite tasty.
Is it as good as the old proper thicker marmalade? Well, no, this not quite as good I think, though to be fair I would have to have both in front of me to compare the two together.
A) VISCOSITY: This is looser than that original marmalade. A “fruit spread” is not as tight / thick as a jam (or marmalade). This contains apple juice concentrate for one thing. It is much less viscous (thick). So runnier than a true marmalade. You will use more of it.
B) SIZE. The original Seville Orange marmalade came in a big jar of about 17 ounces. This jar is just 7.5 ounces. Less than half the size of that old marmalade. Yet it costs about the same. So twice the price of the old one, and as less thick so will you use a bit more?
The ingredients on the old one (pictured below with a yellow green label) were: SUGAR, SEVILLE ORANGE PEEL, SEVILLE ORANGE JUICE. Plus pectin , the natural gelling agent in fruit.
(this is the label on the old jar of Trader Joe’s marmalade)(label of the new version, marmalade fruit spread)
This version lists sugar and Seville oranges but alsoapple juice from concentrate as the ingredient after Seville oranges. Which is why I assume this is described as ORANGE MARMALADE FRUIT SPREAD and not simply “Marmalade”. Now Trader Joe’s says something about this, and even puts a positive spin on it….
“A great marmalade is a bit of a balancing act. First, you’ve got to balance the sweetness of the fruit juice and sugar involved with the tartness of the citrus and bitterness of the orange rind. Then, you’ve got to find just the right balance of fruit and rind within the physical makeup of the marmalade—too much fruit, and it’s more like a jelly, too much rind, and it’s an overly-chewy mess. Luckily, when we decided to bring in a seasonal Seville Orange Marmalade Fruit Spread to our shelves, we had some real experts in our corner. Made by the same supplier in Belgium who previously demonstrated their mastery of balance with our Apricot Cardamom and Green Tea Yuzu spreads, this sweet, citric, and properly proportioned Marmalade is a triumph of harmonious flavors and textures on the palate.” – Trader Joe’s
So while I I like the taste of TJ’s new “orange marmalade fruit spread” of course as a fruit spread it’s not as thick as it would be called just “orange marmalade”. I’m glad I can buy something akin to orange marmalade at Trader Joe’s again, period. But. Its a tiny jar. My jar went fast. Again, so a bit of a mixed bag.
Cost: This small 7.5 oz jar will go much faster than the 17 oz one of course especially as its not as thick and concentrated. The new marmalade costs more than double what the old one cost. Granted it was 2019 but the old bigger jar went for $3.50.
Some people might actually like this “marmalade fruit spread” who may not like the (thicker) more intense versions of marmalade they might have tried in the past. There is a whole “thick cut” versus “thin cut” camp. I suspect TJ’s is trying to please more people with this version? If you are a marmalade lover, at least this is worth trying, even if not “ideal” for the true English marmalade lover.
Besides muffins or toast, try this on top of cottage cheese as Trader Joe’s suggests. I tried it and thats a nice match.
Trader Joe’s SEVILLE ORANGE MARMALADE FRUIT SPREAD $2.99 (7.5 oz)
So I give this a mixed thumbs up.
Let us know what you think in the Comments!
UPDATE: I haven’t gotten it in some time but just bought some, and after opening a jar found that this seems thicker than it used to be?! Possibly they’ve changed the recipe and made it thicker and more concentrated.
PS – Over the years I used to make my own orange Marmalade I gave to friends for an Xmas gift. Want to try your hand it it? Here’s a recipe
Is Trader Joe’s “BURRATA, PROSCIUTTO and ARUGULA FLATBREAD” worth buying?
Please read the review if you want to see if I thought it was worth $5.50
Here’s my honest review of this cheesy flatbread. But first, is this a Flatbread or is this Pizza? Are they almost the same? I’m pretty sure all of us look at this and think “pizza”, but if Trader Joe’s wants to call it “flatbread” that’s fine by me. I guess they think it sounds slightly classier? Actually this is pretty classy.
I was in the mood to try either this one or the MUSHROOM TRUFFLE flatbread shopping a few days ago. I thought I would try this first as I especially love these two things: Arugula and Prosciutto.
Here’s what it looks like right out of the box, frozen. You get two packages, one being the flatbread Plus a small package of a few slices of prosciutto. Why you ask is it separate? Aha! Because it will be added later, after the pizza is baked!
The picture on the box looks very good. Is Trader Joe’s BURRATA, PROSCIUTTO and ARUGULA FLATBREAD as good as the picture?
You be the judge. Here’s what it looked like after I finished baking it and added the prosciutto on top….
Pretty attractive, right?! Good enough that you could pretend this came out of the oven at a restaurant. It pretty much looked the same as their beautiful pizza in the picture. OK, theirs seems to have a bit more arugula that the one I got, but other than that, almost pretty the same.
Verdict? THIS IS YUMMY. VERY GOOD. We really enjoyed it as part of our dinner. Both my wife and I found this pizza equal to a good restaurants version. That prosciutto? It gives it a huge bump of Umami. It definitely adds a ton of flavor and really makes this great.
Trader Joe’s made a smart decision to keep the prosciutto to add after baking. If they had put the prosciutto on the frozen pizza, it probably would just melt away into oblivion during baking or burn.
The pizza crust base was good and all the toppings match perfectly with the crust. It says it has burrata, mozzarella, pecorino, and marscapone cheese in there as well. All these cheeses, melt together and blend into a nice very cheesy mix. The arugula adds a very nice vegetable note however I didn’t think there was quite enough of it. I wished they put on just a little more arugula. I did add a drizzle of EVOO olive oil just before serving, plus a few grinds of fresh black pepper.
We both enjoyed this flatbread and thought this was quite yummy. Our only complaint was we wished it was a tiny just a tiny bit bigger so we each could have more! Two of us ate this for dinner along with a salad and a side of vegetables.
With our salad and a veggie, this was just enough for two of us to share for dinner. I would say this pizza might make one very large portion for one. But if you eat this whole thing by yourself that would be about 900 calories. Me, I wouldn’t eat the whole thing myself I figure this realistically could serve two people – along with some other things. If two portions, I figure that half would probably mean about 450 calories each. Not terrible at all and it was just enough to be satisfying (though we said we could eat more if there was more!)
HOW TO COOK: Remove from freezer and remove the plastic. You will use the prosciutto later, just leave that out. Set oven to 450. Let it heat up for at least 20 minutes or until it lets you know it’s 450. While the oven is heating, they want you to let the pizza and prosciutto rest on the counter for about 20 minutes, to defrost a bit. When the oven is ready, put the flatbread on a baking sheet or baking tray and put it in the oven (without prosciutto!)
Let it bake for about 12 minutes or until edges a nice golden brown color and the crust looks nice and crisp. In our oven, I found 12 minutes was not enough time. I put it back for maybe another 2-4 minutes, and I think I could have still added another minute. If you look at the picture on the box you will see the crust is really well baked and very golden brown, which is exactly how you want it to look like, without burning of course. So as every oven is different you will have to judge the time. Keep checking it every minute or so after 12 mins.
When it looks ready take it out of the oven and let it rest about one minute, maybe on a cutting board or rack. After the rest, now add the prosciutto. In my package, there were 3 nice slices. I peeled them apart and cut it in half to make 6 pieces, which I tried to roll up a bit into rosettes. Put your prosciutto around the pizza in about 6 bundles. It will melt a little bit into the warm pizza. Using a long knife, you can cut the flatbread up in half or quarters to Serve.
Enjoy!
Optional: You could also grate on a little Parmigiano and add a drizzle of EVOO. I did and it made it even better. A sprinkle of hot pepper if you are a fan? Why not. If you have any arugula, I would add a few sprigs all over.
YUM.
Trader Joe’s BURRATA, PROSCIUTTO and ARUGULA FLATBREAD was $5.49 (12 oz) Is it worth that? Absolutely.
I would buy this again.
Portions/Calories: The Nutrition label describes this as being 290 calories / portion HOWEVER they count this pizza as containing 3 portions. HA! That might be a snack, not a portion, for an adult that is. I figure half a pizza (ie, 2 portions) might have about 450 calories/portion?
“Made for us by an expert supplier in Vietnam, each box contains eight miniature, clamshell-style Bao laden with a well-seasoned shrimp patty, as well as a sweet and sticky lemongrass, lime, and chili sauce for dipping.”
There are a fairly New Item in the Asian frozen section at Trader Joe’s that they introduced a short while back. These are “mini bao”, soft and fluffy bao buns with a shrimp patty inside, that comes with a some dipping sauce. They’re a product of Vietnam, where a lot of shrimp are produced.
I got them to try out and review. Each little mini bun is just a couple of bites. The patty inside is made of shrimp, cornstarch as a binder (its actually the second ingredient!) plus scallions, lemon grass, garlic….
“Heating Instructions (Steamer) Remove frozen bao from packaging and put in a steamer or double boiler. Steam for 6-8 minutes until heated through. Let rest for one minute.” (you can microwave these too)
COOKING: Bao are traditionally steamed so that’s what I tried using a metal steamer basket and a pot with a cover.
The two times I cooked these I had a problem with the bottoms of the soft buns sticking to the steamer. The buns are so soft and the bottom had a tendency to stick to my basket. They got a bit stuck on. I tried to lift one gently and carefully and not rip it, but some of the bottom bun was just stuck and ripped. Oh well. The second time I even tried the traditional method for making dimsum and buns where you brush a little oil on the steamer. The sticking was a little better that time, however they still got a little bit stuck and ripped on me.
So if I made them again I would try either brushing more oil on the steamer basket, or putting them on something like a lettuce leaf or parchment or oiled tin foil, very traditional with bao or soft dim sum doughs. So just FYI. Maybe this will not be an issue using a microwave? I didn’t try that method.
How do these taste? Pretty good. The little bao buns are fluffy and soft and a little chewy. The shrimp patties are also soft and had a pretty nice taste, where you can taste that they are made with shrimp. The dipping sauce that comes with these has lemon grass and ginger and is a pretty nice match flavor-wise. Naturally you could also add something to their sauce (like Chili Crunch or LaoGanMa for example) A squeeze of fresh lime or lemon would not be amiss. I also tried some SWEET CHILI SAUCE and that went well with these and was good mixing their sauce with that.
TIP: As these are just soft, you need to add a little bit of veggie for texture. As per the “serving suggestion” on the package which says, “top with julienned cucumbers, carrots and cilantro”. You have to add a few veggies for the contrast in texture with the soft bun. Even a few slivers of cukes, carrots, or scallions will make these taste way better.
Cilantro? If you are a fan of cilantro that would be good (people seems to either love or hate cilantro. I love it).
I was able to make these into dinner for two with some other things. The two of us ate 4 buns each with fried rice and a little salad which proved satisfying. So either think of these as a snack or appetizer or you can make them into a dinner by adding something substantial along with them.
SHRIMP HACK? I did have one idea if you really want to improve these. Add shrimp! My hack with these if I make them again would be to add a cooked shrimp, butterflied and put that on top of the shrimp patty. Drizzle with sauce. I think that would make these outstanding.
Find these in the Frozen Asian section at Trader Joe’s. $4.99 for 8 mini buns (10.5 oz.)
TJ’s says: “One of our perennial favorite (cheeses) is Trader Joe’s Toscano Cheese with Black Pepper, an exceptional cheese that you don’t have to save for a special occasion. As it ages, each wheel of cheese is hand-rubbed with cracked black pepper, so every wedge features a burst of mildly spicy pepper flavor—the closer you get to the outside of the wheel, the more pronounced the flavor becomes, yet it’s never overpowering. Serve it on crackers, grated over pasta or shaved onto a freshly prepared steak.”
This TOSCANO cheese is one of my favorite cheeses that Trader Joe’s carries. I find this to be quite special. The Toscano cheeses kind of tastes like Asiago. There are a few varieties of them. Here the black pepper, on the rind and in the cheese, adds quite a bit to the overall flavor profile. However the black pepper doesn’t overpower the wonderful cheese, it just adds a little something extra. They also have other versions of Toscano. Another good one being the one with a “Syrah” wine coating.
I like it on its own, sliced very thinly with Wheat Crisp crackers. It’s great with fruit, like sliced apples or grapes. With pasta? Excellent. I like to grate this over pasta. Superb with any pasta sauce or just butter and cheese using this.
This is a really nice cheese, but all the “Toscano” ones at Trader Joe’s are. A hunk now usually runs about 5-6 bucks ($10.99 lb)
I gathered that people seemed to love the fact that Trader Joe’s added lentils to their line of canned beans. Some people saying this 99 cents can of lentils is a game changer.
As a big fan of lentils, I got a can to try out and review. Yes. These canned lentils are good and certainly couldn’t be easier as all you have to do is open a can and only cost 99 cents!
(French lentil stew with sausages)
Still, just to compare I made my own lentils to compare these canned lentils to lentils I cooked myself using TJ’s dried green lentils ($1.99/lb).
The ones I cooked myself using dried lentils were a tad better than these canned ones, especially in texture, as the ones I cooked were a little less mushy then the canned ones. I’m sure you know that lentils cook fast, unlike most dried beans. Lentils can be ready in only about 18 minutes. Compared to say dried beans which could take easily 2 hours (after soaking overnight).
Not to mention “Bean Economics” of using dried beans or lentils. Dried lentils and beans cost way cheaper than canned. For example a one pound bag of dried green lentils sold at Trader Joe’s are $1.99. That one pound of dried lentils will probably end up making the equivalent amount of perhaps 6 (15 oz) cans worth once they are cooked (they expand cooked).
Still, if you don’t want to make your own lentils than these canned lentils are the next best thing.
Trader Joe’s lentils cost 99 cents for a 15 oz can. The can says “Product of Australia, packed in Egypt”
The ingredients are nice and short: Lentils, water, salt.
How to use these? As they say on the can, you can use cooked lentils in soups, stews, or salads, or combine them with other grains. These will go well for example mixed with the HARVEST BLEND of grains and legumes for a very healthy dish of grains and legumes.
Now right out of the can lentils can taste a little boring. But they are easily jazzed up with some seasonings. Lentils love garlic, olive oil, lemon, cumin and other spices.
EASY LENTIL SALAD – You could just open the can, drain off most of the liquid and dump these lentils in a bowl. Mash up a fat clove of garlic or two. Add that plus a nice pour of good olive oil, EVOO. Add the juice of a lemon, or some good Balsamic vinegar. Grind on some black pepper Toss gently together and you have a nice and quick and easy lentil salad. The lentils could be eaten as is or could go on top of some greens. Maybe add a fried egg on top? Or sliced chicken. Or just fine as is.
Here’s an idea for a quick and easy recipe with a French flavor lentil stew using these lentils plus sausages (omit if you are vegetarian, subbing a bit of Soy Chorizo perhaps)
When the sausages are golden brown, remove them from the pan and set them aside. (Tip: i like to score my sausages with 3-4 shallow slashes on both sides before cooking. They open up when cooked)
In the same pot, add another tablespoon of olive oil and toss in a medium onion (sliced) and 4-6 cloves of garlic (sliced). Cook the garlic and onions until the onions are translucent or golden which will take maybe 5-8 minutes. (optional) Adding a tablespoon or two of tomato paste now will add lots of flavor. Cook the tomato paste stirring constantly for 1 minute or so.
Next pour in two cans of Trader Joe’s CANNED LENTILS. If you want it a very soupy stew add all the liquid of both cans. If not drain the lentils first (reserving the juice). Add about 1/4-1/2 cup liquid to the pot. You can add more later, as you see fit to get the right amount of liquid you want for your lentil stew.
Add your seasonings (ground black pepper, dried rosemary, oregano, basil, a pinch of cumin, a pinch of red pepper, if desired)
Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook for about 10 minutes. Add in your browned sausages. Simmer on low for about 5 minutes more.
Serve drizzled with more olive oil and some a squeeze of lemon. Combine with some Jasmine rice on the side or just eat with some crusty bread and French Butter!
Want to make French lentil soup instead? Just add all the liquid from the can plus another can of water or stock. Add more chopped garlic. Simmer about a 1/2 hr. You can slice up the sausages, or eat them on the side.
“How do you know it’s fall? When Trader Joe’s Spiced Cider arrives on our shelves! Our Spiced Cider has been a reliable autumnal indicator for more than 20 years. The 64 fluid-ounce bottle holds the juice of U.S.A.-grown, bursting-with-flavor apples that have been brewed with just the right amount of cinnamon, allspice, and cloves to give each sip that soothing seasonal warmth.”
I think this spiced cider is very tasty (if a just a little bit on the sweet side for my tastes, so sometimes I add a splash of water). The wonderful smelling spice blend they have added includes cinnamon, clove, allspice, orange peel, orange oil and lemon peel. I find the balance of the spice blend is just right, not too much to overpower the taste of the apples. You can of course drink this cold but you can really also enjoy it warmed up on cold winter nights!
SPICED CIDER is a seasonal (Fall/Winter) product. So get it while you can.
Trader Joe’s says this about their new fully cooked frozen dish CHICKEN MOLE:
“Inspired by recipes from Central Mexico, we simmer boneless, skinless chicken leg meat in a Mole rojo (“red”) sauce. This tomato-based iteration is made with dried guajillo and pasilla peppers, which serve to darken the color of the sauce, while also adding some spicy heat. The flavor is further deepened with spices that include garlic, onion, coriander, and cinnamon.”
“Mole meaning, sauce or mixture, is a traditional sauce found in Mexican cuisine. most moles do not contain chocolate. Our version is a Mole Rojo, made with Guajillo and Pasilla chile peppers along with other spices, in a tomato based sauce. It was inspired by recipes found in Central Mexico. Serve this chicken mole as a tasty taco or enchilada filling, over a bed of rice, or just on its own with a few slices of avocado“
Their descriptions sound pretty good, right? Does it live up to it? I’ve found at least one very bad miss with Trader Joe’s Mexican inspired foods. For example, some time ago I tried tamales that had the nerve to say “Authentic Mexican” on the package. Ha! More like “Not At All Authentic Mexican”. Tasteless. I thought those tamales were an insult to Mexican cuisine: (old review) of Cedar Lane “Authentic” Tamales
So what about the new “CHICKEN MOLE? I read some decent reviews of this dish, so had to try it and see if TJ’s got it right this time. And guess what? Basically I think they did get it right. This does taste pretty authentic. So I was a bit pleasantly surprised to find their Chicken Mole dish to be pretty tasty, and I think I would probably buy it again. Savory and spicy with a nice use of a few Mexican chiles.
Trader Joe’s Chicken Mole ($6.99) as they say is a mole rojo (red mole) meaning a tomato based mole, made with tomatoes, onions, garlic and most importantly two kinds of chiles, Pasilla and Guajillo which really give it it’s depth of flavor. Its origins are in Central Mexico. The Chicken Mole tasted very savory, with lots of flavor from the slightly smokey chiles (some chiles like the Guajillo chile used in this are smoked). Overall I found the seasonings quite decent and nicely spiced with a depth of flavor from the tomatoes, chiles and other spices, including coriander and cinnamon. Heat wise I would say this is not a super hot but it does have some spicy heat. Its not immediate but sneaks up on you 30 seconds later. I would call this dish a bit spicy, but NOT crazy spicy. For me, I found the heat level just right. Plus you are eating this with other things (maybe avocado, tortillas, rice….) which balances things out.
I liked the fact reading the ingredients that the list is fairly short and overall seems pretty natural with actual ingredients not long chemical names.
Mole Rojo originates from Central Mexico or Oaxaca, the land of 7 moles” a place I’ve been to twice and where I made it my business to taste as many moles as I could. I tasted about 5 of the 7. The place is a culinary wonderland. Every mole I tasted in Oaxaca was fantastic, one of the best being a mole negro sold outside a church by some nice church ladies.
I read someone’s review of this somewhere and they said there was very little chicken in this. Which is also a complaint about TJ’s BIRRIA, which I do agree, there is not a ton of beef in the Birria.
However I thought this Chicken Mole, while I would not say has an enormous amount of chicken, did have a fair amount. Its a bit deceptive as the chicken has fallen apart during cooking so its mostly now shredded plus a few chunks in a good amount of sauce. Now I read someone saying this “has too much sauce”. I don’t really agree with that, as you want a good amount. In a mole the sauce is the whole point, its the star of the whole dish, and the protein is kind of secondary. Does it look like the picture on the package with a ton of chicken? No, lets face it almost nothing looks like the picture on the package.
COOKING: Microwave or Stovetop. I did the Stovetop.
We ate the dish as tacos, spooned into warm Corn Tortillas (TJ’s) with avocado and sliced radishes. Kind of like the picture. Also some rice on the side. It matches great with rice. You could do a rice bowl type thing. You could also make Quesadillas with the mole and cheese, getting it nice and browned up, kind of QuesoBirria style., either in a corn or a flour tortilla. Or a hard corn taco shell. Or you could spoon the mole over rice. It matches very well with avocado. It can easily serve two, maybe three people with other things.
Trader Joe’s announced the winners of their 16th annual customer choice awards (2024).
Which, out of all the products TJ’s has, do you think customers awarded as the overall top dog pick? Interestingly enough it’s the same one which has been voted first by customers for the 4th Year In A Row as overall favorite ! Drum roll, please, and the winner is….
TJ’s really good snack their Chili & Lime Flavor Rolled Corn Tortilla Chips, were once again voted as as overall favorite. These have been picked 4 years running!
Some time ago I reviewed these and loved them. I gave these delicious, possibly addictive, snacks a big thumbs up. So I am not shocked that these remain to be so popular and got the top Customer’s Choice spot again as these are super.
Though they may not be to everyone’s taste as these pack a punch of pretty intense flavor plus a good leave of heat (like Takis) I find them Spicy Delicious. However my wife for example is someone who doesn’t go for these at all. Even though she likes fairly spicy in general, she doesn’t like these chips. She finds the flavors too strong and too intense, whereas I find them irresistible, and frankly addictive, to the point where once I start eating them at times I have to remeber to stop myself lest I eat the whole bag!
Having said that I do actually sometimes like to counter balance the intense flavor of these chips by pairing them with something which will counter balance them. Knock down the heat a bit. As I mentioned in my review sometimes I actually like to eat these with cottage cheese. I find that a great combination as cottage cheese, something a bit bland, will balance out the flavor. Or sometimes I will enjoy these with some dip which is not too intensely flavored.
OK so the Rolled Tortilla Chips were the #1 Customer Pick. What were the Runners Up in that catagory? Here are the second through fifth place choices, just to give you some ideas of what Trader Joe’s products seem to be most popular with customers:
Trader Joe’s Rants & Raves (mostly raves, a few rants) 
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